Boxoffice (Jul-Sep 1938)

Enthusiasm Marks F-P Toronto Meet (Continued from page 87) Kerr, L. G. Geering and M. Perry, who are officials and departmental heads at the headquarters offices. A feature of this meeting was the reading of a message from N. L. Nathanson, relayed from aboard the Empress of Britain, in which he sent greetings to the convention and expressed his confidence in the benefits it would afford. In the address by Fitzgibbons, the theatre managers were urged of the prime necessity of their tying in with the “Motion Pictures Are Your Best Entertainment” campaign. He declared this campaign combined with the drawing power of the splendid boxoffice attractions contained in the program of pictures comprising the product which would be shown on the screens of their theatres during the months just ahead would give them a wonderful opportunity to attract great throngs of patrons to their respective houses. Regional Meeting Series The second day of the convention was given over entirely to the holding of a series of regional meetings in three separate rooms on the mezzanine floor. Chairmen were Robson, Stein and Robert D. Roddick. The complete list of managers at the convention: From Toronto — Jack Arthur, Uptown; J. Shea and W. Graydon, of Shea’s Hippodrome; Dan Krendel, Tivoli; W. Hunt, Bedford; A. Sedgewick, Belsize; A. Ritchie, Alhambra; R. Downey, Beach; J. Laver, Bloor; M. Margolius, College; R. McClelland and V. Hudson, Capitol; R. Eves, Eglinton; Charles Querrie, Palace; A. Easson, Oakwood; M. J. Doyle, Parkdale; G. Morrell, St. Clair; Tom Daley, Imperial; J. Lynch, Runnymede, and J. Purves, Village. From Hamilton — C. T. Spencer, Capitol; G. Stroud, Palace; L. Bishop, Tivoli, and H. R. Hutchinson, Strand. From Windsor — R. Knevels, Capitol; H. C. Merritt, Palace; J. J. Le Fave, Tivoli; S. C. dayman, Regent, and E. Lamoureux, Empire. From London — W. K. Trudell, Capitol, and J. McDonough, Palace. From other cities — Chatham, A. P. Drohan, Capitol; Sarnia, W. J. Fawcett, Capitol; Sarnia, W. J. Burke, Imperial; St. Thomas, F. Doney, Capitol; Woodstock, H. V. Neun, Capitol; Woodstock, A. Scandrett, Royal; Brantford, E. A. Moule, Capitol; Brantford, J. Blinsky, Brant; Galt, E. J. Landsborough, Capitol; Guelph, R. McKibben, Royal; Guelph, S. Andrews, Capitol; St. Catharines, R. J. Harrison, Capitol; Niagara Falls, J. V. Ward, Capitol; Welland, T. Forhan, Capitol; Cornwall, C. Markell, Capitol; Owen Sound, C. Georgas, Classic; Halifax, N. L. Graburn, Capitol; Halifax, R. J. Macadam, Casino; Moncton, F. W. Winter, Capitol; Glace Bay, J. Conner, Savoy; Quebec, P. Valliere, Capitol; St. John, W. H. Golding, Capitol; Sydney, D. P. MacDonald, Capitol. Three Rivers, G. T. Robert and A. J. B. Robett, of Capitol. From Ottawa — C. Holmes, Avalon; R. Tubman, Capitol; A. Stevens, Regent, and I. Singerman, Imperial. Brockville, F. McLennan, Capitol; Hull, R. Maynard, Cartier; Kingston, E. Smithies, Capitol, and T. McCoy, Grand; Belleville, G. Forhan, Belle; Cobourg, K. Craig, Capitol; North Bay, J. Nelson, Capitol; Rouyn, S. Korman, Capitol; Oshawa, L. Osier, Regent; Peterborough, A. E. Cauley, Capitol; Port Hope, J. S. Smart, Capitol; Trenton, G. W. Martin, Trent; Sudbury, S. Scott, Capitol; Sault Ste., W. P. McGeachie, Algoma. Plans for Regional F-P Convention Are Complete Vancouver, B. C. — Preparations are under way for the Famous Players local convention of theatre managers, which will be held on September 12 and 13. This year marks the company’s 20th anniversary. N. L. Nathanson, president; J. J. Fitzgibbons, vice-president and general manager; R. W. Bolstad, comptroller; Ben Geldsaler, chief booker, and Morris Stein, district manager for Ontario, are coming west to first attend the convention in Winnipeg, September 5 and 6, and then through to Vancouver with a short stop at Banff. At Calgary they will pick up Ken Leach who is a partner in the Strand and Variety theatres in that city. The meeting will be attended by all the F-P theatre managers in the British Columbia district as well as those from Edmonton, Calgary and Lethbridge, in Alberta. The full agenda has not yet been received, but the convention promises to be a very busy one and Larry Bearg can be counted upon to make it the biggest, and most successful, in the history of the company. She Remembered Montreal — “Mademoiselle of Armentieres” and “Dear Old Pal of Mine,” wartime songs, were brought vividly to memory by the revelation that Pearl White’s will leaves part of her fortune to the children of the Montreal-born author and composer, Gitz Rice, once a headliner in vaudeville and still dearly beloved by war veterans whom he entertained at the front. Rice married Ruth Hoffman, the dark adventuress of “The Perils of Pauline,” and other exciting serials in which Pearl White was starred. Miss White was godmother to their children Pearl Rice, now 16, and Gitz Wilson Rice, 15. The extent of Pearl White’s estate is not known, but it will be divided into ten equal parts of which one will go to the Rice children. Gitz Rice has a brother in Montreal, almost his equal as a comedian, “Jimmy” Rice, photographer, who is regularly called on to entertain conventions and other groups of American visitors, and who probably knows intimately more outstanding Americans than any living Canadian other than Premier King and ex -Premier Bennett. TORONTO ^ A. TAYLOR and Meyer Axler of Twentieth Century Theatres left Toronto early this week for Ottawa on business relating to that chain’s theatre interests in the capital city. Charles Stevenson of the College Theatre, Kitchener, Ont., was a visitor in Toronto this week. M. H. Wilkes, exploiteer for United Artists, was in Ottawa this week where he was directing the big campaign put on by the Elgin Theatre for “Algiers.” Roy Mitchell, formerly with Peerless Films in this city, has joined the sales staff of Superior Films, which company reports quite a spurt in busmess activity. Mary Pickford, who is a native of Toronto, accompanied her husband. Buddy Rogers, here due to his being in this city with his orchestra for a playing engagement at the Canadian National Exhibition, now here. She has met with an unexpected rebuff to her plan to purchase the house on University Avenue, which was her birthplace. Noticing that the house was boarded up, Miss Pickford thought it would be a nice idea to purchase the property, have the building turned into a tearoom and have all the profits go towards aiding the Toronto Sick Children’s Hospital. Dan Krandell, popular manager of the Tivoli Theatre here, is back from his vacation with his family. Dan was on a fishing trip in northern Ontario to Trout Lake and brought back plenty of fish. J. K. Dickson, chief accountant for Empire-Universal Films, has returned from a two-week holiday spent at Mississauga Beach. H. M. Addison, district manager for Loew’s Theatres, was in Toronto and then went on to London, Ont. Bob Meyers is vacationing at Saratoga Springs with his wife, and as it also is their first honeymoon trip it is hard to say the exact date of their return. H. J. Clark, publicity representative for Loew’s, Toronto, and W. H. Wilkes, United Artists’ exploiteer, have put on a big campaign in Toronto for “Algiers,” which enjoyed a successful week’s run in this city. Peter Meyers, of United Artists Toronto staff, was right up with the leaders in the Canadian open golf tournament held on the course of the Mississauga Golf Club here. In the qualifying round he recorded the good score of 85 strokes or only two strokes behind the score of 83 achieved by the internationally famous Walter Hagen. Meyer Axler, superintendent of 20 th Century Theatres, is on his vacation. Stanley Goslin, smiling treasurer of Loew’s Theatre, Toronto, is leaving soon with his wife and baby for a tour of the United States. 90 BOXOFFICE :; September 3, 1938